The present invention relates to the automatic transfer of articles from one support to another and more particularly to an improved means for transferring straight rows of articles, such as eggs, from a roller conveyor to an egg breaking or other egg processing machine where the egg supports are arranged in a circle at the edge of the machine turret or other moving support.
Egg processing operations, such as egg cracking and separating operations, are now performed at high speed with automated machinery. The feeding of the eggs into the automated line for washing and inspecting preferably utilizes row conveyors. After being loaded onto the conveyor, the eggs are carried in moving and straight rows through the washing and inspecting equipment and are thence transferred to the cracking or other processing machinery.
Where the processing machine includes egg supports which are aligned in a straight row adjacent the egg feeding conveyor, the transfer is easily accomplished. Where the eggs are fed to a circular machine, such as a machine having the egg supports mounted at the edge of a turret, the transfer has heretofore been relatively complicated and has been done in an operation requiring the eggs to be handled a number of times and individually loaded onto the turret supports. This transfer of the eggs from rows to egg supports moving along a curved path has therefore required relatively complicated and space consuming apparatus and has limited the speed at which the transfers may be efficiently made.
An object of the present invention is to permit the transfer of the articles from straight rows to a curved line of articles.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved method and means for transferring rows of articles between article supports having differing row alignments.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and means for transferring straight rows of articles to article supports having a normally curved alignment.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved method and means for transferring eggs from row conveyors to curved or generally circular conveyors or egg processors.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved method and means for transferring rows of eggs.
Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.